U of M thread (in the Lions Forum) :)

[Mschottey1985]

Mid Majors wouldn't schedule non conference tough games because they wanted the record to get in.

You have that fundamentally wrong. Big schools will not schedule Mid-Majors once that school gets to be pretty strong. They are cowards and they definitely won't go on the road.

That is a theoretical argument with no basis in fact. Quality mid-major schools (Gonzaga, Butler, Siena, Northern Iowa, Western Kentucky, etc) were all able to schedule games against quality competition. Entering tournys, scheduling unfair home and homes (like 2x at your place for every 1x at ours) etc are all part of the process. Its not like Gonzaga was able to schedule Marquette every year.

St. Mary's was a surprise team this year. They didn't schedule because they didn't think they would be in the discussion. If they had beaten Gonzaga ONCE or had a game against Washington State (who they just beat in the NIT) earlier...maybe. Otherwise you cannot argue "they can't schedule more difficult teams" because 20 other mid-major schools can prove you wrong.

[froot loops]

No it isn't, when UDM was doing pretty well in the late 90's they started having trouble finding tough opponents, let alone any home games. UDM could never get a home game in a series.

The bracket buster day a lot of the Mid Majors participate in were in direct response to cowardly basketball powerhouses not scheduling them.

Yes the non-conference tournaments are a way to get a tougher opponents, but those spots are very few.

[Whitley]

My only problem is that any time you have a system that is not "The 34 best at-large teams" It can become arbitrary. You can't say St. Mary's deserved it more...because that could be argued. (once again, they didn't beat Gonzaga) You said before that its a better story...Cinderella-esque but since when did athletics being judged for monetary purposes become Kosher. If its an arbitrary system put in the 34 teams with the biggest markets.

If you do "best seasons" it kills the Cinderella factor. Period. Mid Majors wouldn't schedule non conference tough games because they wanted the record to get in. Then they'd get demolished.

Gonzaga is the king of the mid majors because they started scheduling tough opponents long ago. If St. Mary's wants to talk the talk, they need to walk the walk.

Let's look at St. Mary's OOC schedule:

Maui Tournament, beat Providence (+500 record in the Big East), won @ Oregon, won @ Southern Illinois, beat Utah State (30-5). That's a pretty good schedule before the season. Oregon and Southern Illinois were down this year. And they lost the first game of the Maui Tournament to UTEP and that cost them a couple games in the winner's bracket.

[The Oracle]

That's bullshit too. If St. Mary's would get credit for good wins vs Providence(worst 10-8 team in a BCS conference), Oregon and Southern Illinois, you would have to give credit to the BCS teams for the same wins. Which you don't, because well, they aren't good wins.

[NewOrleansLion]

Plus those wins at the beginning of the season are really iffy. Michigan beating UCLA early seemed like a huge win at the time. No doubt it was a solid win, but UCLA ended up not being the team everybody thought they were. Hell, in retrospect, their win over Purdue is more impressive.

[CGVT]

I don't care that St Marys didn't get in. The at large spots should go to the best teams.

They should NEVER change to a format that doesn't give the automatic bids to the little conferences, however.

[Whitley]

That's bullshit too. If St. Mary's would get credit for good wins vs Providence(worst 10-8 team in a BCS conference), Oregon and Southern Illinois, you would have to give credit to the BCS teams for the same wins. Which you don't, because well, they aren't good wins.

Maybe, just maybe. You should read what I was responding to. the quote indicates that St. Mary's didn't try to go out and schedule some big games. Going to Oregon (NCAA team last year) is a good game to schedule. Southern Illinois who while missing the tourney the previous year (with an 18-14 record)had a run of 2002-2007 of making the tounrey and the Sweet 16 twice (2002, 2007). Playing them at Southern Illinois makes it (when it was scheduled) a good game.

BTW Providence did beat Syracuse and Pittsburgh this year. Those are quality wins.

However, St. Mary's did sprinkle in what they thought would be quality games in their schedule (Maui Tourney, Southern Illinois and Oregon) and one decent team (Providence). They lost the first game of the Maui tourney which really hurt. No way of knowing that Southern Illinois and Oregon would stumble this year.As a result, their schedule looked a lot worse. But it is important to remember that St. Mary's thought they scheduled some big boys. They didn't try to duck anyone.

Froot is right though it's hard for really good mid majors to get games against the Big guys.

[Rocky Bleier]

Air Force 2 Michigan 0. Hot goalie for Air Force (43 saves and 3rd straight shutout) and it's on to the Wings with "Ozzie the Sieve."

[Rocky Bleier]

Denard Robinson Decommits


As had been rumored by Wolverine Liberation Army more than a month ago, Class of 2009 Michigan commit Denard Robinson has left Michigan?s recruiting class, and will indeed enroll at the University of Florida. He cited fan negativity on the internet as one of the primary reasons for his change of heart. It is unclear whether, as a signee of Michigan, he will have to sit out a year before becoming eligible at Florida.

Robinson recently wowed Michigan fans by running the 100-meter dash in 10.44 seconds, the 2nd-fastest time for a high schooler yet this year. However, instead of taking that speed to Michigan?s quarterback position, he now intends to head to the defensive secondary of the Gators. Florida and Michigan were his final two choices on Signing Day 2009, and he chose the Wolverines over the Gators, citing a desire to play with his friend, Adrian Witty (Witty, a high school teammate who played with Robinson on the same team in high school, could not be reached for comment), as well as the chance to prove himself as a signal-caller.
The Wolverines now only have two scholarship quarterbacks on the fall roster, one of whom is David Cone. Current rumors have them approaching Ohio State?s Terrelle Pryor as a transfer candidate, which they consider a ?trade up? for the departure of Justin Boren. Another possibility is Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young, who left the University of Texas after the 2005 season with one year of eligibility remaining.

[nhwbrooklyn]

Damn rocky.. whats with the girl on the right? bulimic or something? poor thing.

[Mschottey1985]

Denard Robinson Decommits
Current rumors have them approaching Ohio State?s Terrelle Pryor as a transfer candidate, which they consider a ?trade up? for the departure of Justin Boren. Another possibility is Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young, who left the University of Texas after the 2005 season with one year of eligibility remaining.

Had me going up until this part...April Fools

[DanO]

Same here.

GO LIONS "09" !!!!!!!!!

[nhwbrooklyn]

lol-- Sources: Paulus may play football at Michigan

http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/9457458/Sources:-Paulus-may-play-football-at-Michigan

[Rocky Bleier]

More proof that Buckeyes make bad parents...






It's Casey Anthony!

[Rocky Bleier]

Whatever happened to ... The U-M football class of '05?

U-M recruits -- sixth- ranked when they signed -- fall short

BY MARK SNYDER • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • April 30, 2009

After only two Michigan players were selected in this year's draft -- the second time since 1985 that fewer than three Wolverines were taken -- it seems like an appropriate time to look back at U-M's 2005 recruiting class.



With one five-star recruit, 10 four-star prospects and 11 three-star players, U-M's 2005 class was ranked No. 6 nationally by Rivals.com and first in the Big Ten. Four years later, the 23-player class has become one of the least productive in recent history. Only receiver Mario Manningham and defensive tackle Terrance Taylor have been drafted. Taylor was the lone player picked this year from the 2005 class. Cornerback Morgan Trent was drafted in Sunday's sixth round by the Bengals, but he was part of the 2004 class. Free Press sports writer Mark Snyder breaks down U-M's 2005 recruiting class:
The NFL draftees >>

2

Manningham was picked in the third round of 2008 by the Giants following his junior season, and Taylor was drafted in Sunday's fourth round by the Colts.
The NFL hopefuls

2

S Brandon Harrison and TE Carson Butler played significant roles at U-M at points in their careers but were not drafted, leaving them to sign free-agent contracts. Harrison went to the Colts, Butler to the Packers.
The remaining players

6

OL David Moosman and Mark Ortmann and P Zoltan Mesko should be starters this season. TB Kevin Grady (the only five-star recruit of the class), OL Tim McAvoy and WR LaTerryal Savoy will play reserve roles.
The departed

7

LB Brandon Logan played four years but made no impact. DE/TE Andre Criswell was not brought back for a fifth year. RB Mister Simpson and QB Jason Forcier transferred by choice (though Forcier might return to play this year as a grad student). DL James McKinney transferred because of a medical issue. DL Marques Slocum failed to maintain his academics. OL Justin Schifano quit football.
The injured

3

QB/WR Antonio Bass, OL Cory Zirbel, TE Chris McLaurin all had career-ending injuries.
Kicked off team

3

DB Johnny Sears for failing a drug test, DB Chris Richards for a legal problem and DE Eugene Germany for multiple legal problems